Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



J. r. ocomvon.

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, I919.

1,374,672. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. F. OCONNOR.

FRICTION SH'OCK ABSORBING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLEO NOV. 6, 1919. 1,374,672.

Patented Apr. 12, 1921;.

3 SHEE] SSHEET 2.

J. F. OCONNOR. FRICTION SHOCK ABSOBBING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, I919. 1,374,672. Patented Apr. '12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' flwelzfar I UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER, OF

CHAZY, NEW YORK.

FRICTION SHOCK-'ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d A 12 1921.

Application filed November 6, 1919. Serial No. 336,054.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

friction shock absorbing mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism especially adaptedfor railway draft riggings and wherein is obtained highcombined friction and spring capacity, large wearing areas, certain release, and the parts so designed that they are comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is'a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of a railway draft rigging shOWing my improvements in connection therewith." Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Figs; 3 and tare views corresponding respectively with Figs. 1 and 2 but illustrating a somewhat different embodiment of the invention, Fig. at being taken on'the section line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3-, parts being broken away, and illustrating the position assumed by the friction elements at the end of the compressive stroke. Fig. 6 isa detail perspective of one of the friction shoes employed with the construction illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Figs? and 8 are views corresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2 but illustrating another embodiment of the invention, Fig. 8 being taken on the section line 88 of Fig. 7. And

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of oneof the wedges employed in the construction shown in Fig. 7.

Referring first to the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, 1010 denote channelshaped center or draft sills of a railway car, to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 1111 and rear stop lugs 12-12.

A portion of the draw bar is indicated at' 13, the same being operatively connected to the shock absorbing mechanism )roper by a yoke 14 of well-known form. T e parts are supported in position bya detachable saddle plate 15., The shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown, comprises, broadly, a front follower A, a combined friction shell and spring cage B, a pair of laterallymovable friction shoes C-C, a central wedge D, a spr ng follower E, and twin arranged main springs F The combined shell and spring cage B is preferably in the form of a casting and is of substantially rectangular cross section havmg upper and lower parallel walls 16', connecting wall 17 adapted to act as the rear follower of the draft rigging, and forward heavy side walls l818. The sides of the casting Bare open between the heavy side walls 18 and the rear walls 17 to permit lateral insertion of the twin springs FF. Sa1 d heavy side walls 18 are providedon their outer sides with outwardly diverging friction surfaces 19-19, a space being left between said side walls as indicated at 20. It 1sevident that the spring follower E is also inserted laterally through the open sides of the casting B and rior to the insertion of the springs F The top and bottom walls of the casting B at the forward end thereof, as indicated at 116 serve as uides for the movable friction elements C and D, as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings. I

The follower A is also preferably in the form of a casting and has an outer wall 21 directlg engagedby the butt of the draw bar. n its inner side, the follower A is provgded with a pair of rearwardly diverging walls"22-22, the inner surfaces 23-23 thereof being friction surfaces in opposed relation to the friction surfaces 1919. Said follower A also has top and bottom flanges or walls 245-24: in alinement with the walls 116 of the casting B and which serve as e opposed edges 25 and 26 of the follower A and castingB are normally separated a g iides for the friction shoes C and wedge D.

at its rear end, each shoe C is provided with a friction surface 28 cooperable with the adj acent friction surfaces 19 of the friction shell. As is evident, upon relative approach of the follower A and the friction shell, the friction shoes C will be forced or wedged laterally inwardly toward. each other. On their inner sides. the shoes C are provided with friction wedge surfaces 29*29 which diverge reaiwvardly but 'the included angle of which is considerably more acute than the included angle between the two friction surfaces 23 ofthe follower A. The riction wedge surfaces 29 of the shoes C cooperate with corresponding friction surfaces 30--30 on the wedge D and it is evident that. as the shoes CC are forced laterally inwardly toward each other they will squeeze the wedge D rearwardly or relatively toward the rear wall 17 of the casting B. Said wedge. D has a rearward extension 31 which bears against a plunger extension 32 on the forward side of the follower E. In order to prevent interference between the shoes C and the plunger between the wedge D and follower E as the shoes C are compressed inwardly toward each other, said shoes are cut away as indicated at 33-33 to clear the plun er, as will be evident.

A1 of the parts of the shock absorbing mechanism may be held in assembled relation by means of longitudinally extending retaining bolts 3431 which are seated at their ends in suitable pockets in the follower A and casting B. In actual practice, the shoes C may be made of rolled steel plate which is suitably case hardened after the plate has been bent to proper form. In this manner I obtain rubbing friction surfaces of different material between the shoes on the one hand and thefollower, shell and wedge on the other hand which is desirable for the reason that it promotes longer life of the parts and produces greater friction resistance. In carrying out my invention, I preferably made the friction surfaces 23-23 and 19--19 at angles of 60 to the axis of the gear and the friction surfaces 29 are made preferably at an angle of 30 to the axis of the gear so that, the included angles between the friction surfaces 2323 and 19-19 are 120 each and those between the surfaces 29-29, 60. In this manner blunt angles between the follower A and the shoes C are obtained which insures release while atthe same time the actuating force is transmitted, in passing through two sets of cooperating inclined friction surfaces, at an acute angle to the wedge D, thereby obtaining highly multiplied effective spring resistance. The operation is thought to be sufficiently explained in the preceding description.

Referring next to the construction illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the general ar rangement of draft sills, stops, draw bar and yoke is the same. In the friction shock absorbing mechanism proper, I employ a follower A, a combined friction shell and spring cage B, laterally movable friction shoes C-C, central wedge D, spring follower E and one main spring F.

' As in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the combined shell and spring cage B has a friction shell proper at its forward or outer end and rearwardly thereof is pro-' vided with a cylindrical spring cage desig nated by the reference 36, the same having a rear integral follower section 117. A single two-coil main spring F is employed instead of the twin springs F shown in the other construction.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, instead of forming the friction surfaces 19, 23, 27, 28, 29, and 30 flat and in.

vertical planes as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

I form the corresponding friction surfaces in pairs which diverge in directions transversely of the shock absorbing mechanism. In other words, I form on the friction shell pairs of friction surfaces 119 and 119 which have a very blunt included angle therebetween. Similarl onthe follower A I provide pairs of friction surfaces 123 and 123 which diverge from a horizontal center and have a blunt included angle therebetween. The shoes C have outer corresponding pairs of friction surfaces 127 and 127, and inner pairs of friction surfaces 128 and 128 'On their interiors, the shoes C are formed with corresponding sets of friction surfaces 129 and 129 The wedge D has sets of friction surfaces 130 and 130 cooperable with the friction surfaces 129* and 129 respectively of the shoes C.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the pressure-transmitting element between the wedge D and follower E is in the form of a plunger 37 cast integrally with the wedge D. Only one retaining bolt 13-1 is used, the same extending axially of the gear. In this construction, the shoes C may be made in the form of castin s.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, it is evident that I obtain somewhat larger areas of friction surfaces than is obtained in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but nflw ise the same advantages are obtained with both constructions.

Referring next to the construction shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the same embodies a similar arrangement of draft sills, stops, draw bar, yoke and supporting plate as in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this arrangement, I employ a combined friction shell and spring cage B corresponding to theparts B and B of the other constructions. The member corresponding to the followers A and A of the two previously described constructions is indicated at A The member A while it performs the same functions as the members A and A, is provided with a spring cage 39 and in actual practice,'the members A and B will be made identical to minimize the cost of manufacture. The friction shoes are indicated by the references C C and instead of employing a single wedge as in the constructions previously described I employ two wedges Two spring followers E are employed because of the doubleended arrangement and the use of the springs F one at each end of the mechanism.

The member A is provided with friction surfaces 223 corresponding to the friction surfaces 23 of the structure shown in Fig. 1 and the member 13 is provided with friction surfaces 219 corresponding to the friction surfaces 19. Similarly, each shoe C is provided with end friction surfaces 227 and 228, corresponding respectively with the friction surfaces 27 and 28. On their interiors, the shoes C are provided with opposed sets of friction wedge surfaces 229 and 229 corresponding to the friction wedge surfaces 29. Each wedge D has friction surfaces 230230 corresponding to the friction surfaces 30. The wedges D are provided with pressure-transmitting plungers and in order to permit the wedges D to slide relatively to each other, the same are centrally apertured as indicated at 40 to accommodate the plungers 231-231.

The latter are equally spaced apart and those on one wedge D slidingly passed between those of the other wedge D as clearly indicated in Fig. 8.

In the operation of the construction shown in Figs. 7 8 and 9, it is evident that upon relative approach of the members A and B the shoes C will be forced laterally inwardly toward each other andthe lefthand wedge D as viewed in Fig. 7, will compress the right-hand spring F whereas the right-hand wedge D will compress the left-hand spring F A further description of the details of the construction and operation of the arrangement shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 is thought unnecessary since it will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art in view of the preceding explanation of the other two forms of the invention illus-" trated.

I have herein shown and described the preferred manner of carrying out my 111- vention but do not intend to be limited to the details of construction shown, except as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a friction shell friction shoes having inclined end friction surfaces cooperable with said friction surfaces of .the shell and member, said shoes being forced inwardly toward eachother upon the relative approach of said shell and member, said shoes having also inner wedge surfaces normally disposed outwardly beyond the shell and facing toward the latter, a wedge also normally disposed outwardly .beyond the shell and interposed between and cooperating with said wedge surfaces of the shoes, a spring resistance onthe opposite side of said shell to that on which said wedge is located, and means for transmitting pressure from said wedge to said spring resistance. I

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with two friction members normally separated and providedwith opposed sets of diverging friction sur faces, said members being relatively movable longitudinally, all of said friction surfaces extending at a relatively blunt angle to the line of relative movement of the members, of a pair of friction shoes adapted for relative lateral movement and interposed between said two members, the ends of said shoes frictionally cooperating with said sets of friction surfaces, a spring resistance having one end thereof held against movement relatively to one of said members, and a wedge interposed between said shoes adapted to transmit pressure longitudinally to the op osite end of said spring resistance upon re ative approach of said members, said wedge and shoes having cooperable, friction surfaces extending at a relatively keen angle to the line of relative movement of said men-bers, said wedge being mormally disposed entirely outside of the member toward which it is longitudinally moved upon relative approach of said members.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a casting having a friction shell proper and an integral transverse wall spaced longitudinall therefrom, of a spring resistance located etween said shell proper and the wall and having one of its ends bearing against the wall, a member opposed to the friction shell and movable relatively longitudinally thereof, said member and shell having opposed sets of friction surfaces, friction shoes interposed between said member and shell and having the ends thereof frictionally cooperating with said sets of frlctlon surfaces, a wedge interposed between and within said shoes, the Wedge and shoes having cooperattransmitting pressure from said Wedge to ing friction surfaces diverging in a directhe opposite end of said spring to compress tion toward said wall of the shell, said 00- the latter in a direction toward said Wall. 10 operating friction surfaces of the shoes and In Witness that I claim the foregoing I wedge being disposed outwardly of said have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th ends of the shoes which cooperate with the day of Nov., 1919 shell, and means, including a column, for JOHN F. OCONNOR. 

